


you shine on me like a light, you are my starlight

by percyyoulittleshit



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, canon world, with my own twist on it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:15:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25215322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/percyyoulittleshit/pseuds/percyyoulittleshit
Summary: It's July 12, Annabeth is turning 20 and for the first time since she was seven years old (not counting her seventeen birthday), she is not celebrating at camp.Realizing you are outgrowing the place you have called home your whole life is a terrifying and bittersweet feeling, but it could also the push she needed to move forward, and moving forwards includes a surprise a certain green-eyed boy had prepared for her.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 10
Kudos: 87





	you shine on me like a light, you are my starlight

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend reading my story "let's whisper our wishes in this summer night" first for a little bit more of context.  
> This story can read as an individual.

Annabeth wasn’t sure how she felt. It was her first, and probably not the last, birthday that she wasn’t spending at camp or on a quest (her seventeenth birthday not included) since she was seven years old. It was also the first summer she had barely spent at camp. With her internships in the city she had only spent a few weeks at camp. Most of the campers that had left for college before her popped in to visit from time to time but after figuring out, with the help from the Romans, that your demigod smells started to faint during your early twenties, more of her older camp friends started to make lives outside Camp. Camp was mostly filled with eleven to sixteen-year-olds and during the weeks she was there, she was starting to realize that maybe she was outgrowing Camp. If she was being honest, it was a bittersweet and terrifying thought and it made her only work harder on the project that had been in her mind for a while now.

She was working on the sketches for said project, trying to distract herself, when her phone lit up with texts from Percy letting her know he was on his way to pick her up. While she had seen him that morning and had a birthday brunch with his family and Rachel, he had dropped her off at the very small apartment she was renting in Brooklyn for the summer while he went to work on a surprise for her. She had tried to imagine what his surprise could be, but for once she couldn’t think of anything. Since Frank and Hazel couldn’t have more time off from Camp Jupiter and Leo, Piper and Jason were planning to go on their own adventures in California, Jason and she had gotten a shared celebration at Camp a week ago.

She took one last look at her sketchbook before finishing getting ready. Percy had told her she didn’t need to dress up so she dressed in her usual shorts and a light, sleeveless and flowy mustard-yellow top, and flats. She put on light makeup and was finishing putting her hair in a half-up ponytail when there was a knock at her door.

“Coming!” The first thing she saw when she opened the door was a small bouquet of colorful flowers, the second was the troublemaker smile that made her knees go weak. “Hey you.”

“Hey birthday girl.” Percy leaned in for a kiss which Annabeth happily accepted. While still kissing her, Percy guided her back into the apartment and closed the door with his leg. They stayed in the tiny kitchen/living room kissing for a while until Percy finally broke off the kiss and presented the flowers to her. “For you.”

Annabeth took them and smiled, she could feel her cheeks heating up a little bit. She didn’t know the name of most of the flowers but it didn’t matter, all she knew was that they were beautiful. If she didn’t count the times Percy picked her random flowers from bushes at camp, it was the first time Percy had gotten her flowers and Annabeth could feel her heart burst with happiness and love. “They’re beautiful, thank you.”

Percy’s reply was to wink at her sending butterflies flurrying through her belly. It was a funny thing, Annabeth thought while she went to the kitchen to look for something similar to a vase to put the flowers in, how even after knowing him for seven years and dating him for almost four, he could still give her butterflies, make her blush, and make her fall for him a little bit more every day.

“How was your afternoon?” Percy asked.

“It was okay. Dad called me and so did Magnus, face timed with Piper for a little and then I spent the rest of the afternoon working on some sketches.” She finally found a tall glass and put some water in it. “Yours?”

“Well,” Percy walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s go and see how I spent my afternoon.”

*** 

It wasn’t the first time Annabeth hung out at Rachel’s rooftop, it was one of Rachel’s favorite spots to paint, and the perfect view of the New York skyline made it one of Annabeth’s favorite spots to sketch. But for this night the messy rooftop was rearranged. The usual rainbow lights were set on warm lighting, the usual mess of pillows and blankets were accumulated in a perfect resting spot facing the sun setting across the Manhattan skyline and there was a small table with candles and food waiting for her.

“So this is what you were up to this afternoon?” Annabeth laughed happily. 

“Rachel helped and now I have to model for one of her paintings as payment,” Percy made a face. “And go with her to some weird art exhibition.”

“I would say I’m sorry but I’m not.” Annabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. “I adore you so much, thank you,” Annabeth whispered between kisses.

“I’m glad.” Percy gave her one last deep kiss before moving his arm to her back and gently guided her towards the table. “Come on, the food is gonna get cold.”

Once their plates were empty and the cake tasted, she and Percy moved to lay down in the sea of pillows. Between the wine and feeling full, a warm buzz filled Annabeth’s body and she cuddled closer to Percy. Her head was resting on his chest and he was playing with her curls. It was moments like this, with Percy’s warm body next to her, when words weren’t really needed, that she felt happy and safe.

“Remember what I mentioned in Lake Tahoe?” Annabeth asked quietly.

Percy was quiet for a few seconds before replying. “About expanding Camp?”

“Yeah,” Annabeth bit her lower lip. “Did you feel it? When we were at camp?”

“There was something slightly off, wasn’t there?”

“For the first time since I was seven, I felt out of place at camp.” From the way Percy pulled her closer she knew he could hear the sadness in her voice. “I never thought I would outgrow camp.”

“Sometimes outgrowing something isn’t a bad thing.” Percy kissed the top of her head. “And if you and your sketches have something to say about it, it could mean the start of something new.”

“Maybe,” Annabeth mumbled against his shirt. “I guess it’s a weird feeling, plus the fact that I won’t be back until next summer, it all just feels surreal.”

“We can squish in a quick trip before you leave for Paris.”

 _Paris,_ the other thing that was occupying her mind. When Annabeth had applied for the year abroad after finding an excellent architectural university in France, she hadn’t really grasped what it would mean. In a few weeks, she would take a plane across the ocean to a city she had only been to for a few hours before, barely knowing the language and knowing absolutely no one.

“Gods, I can’t believe I’m going to Paris.” She raised her head to look at Percy. “I can’t believe I won’t see you for a year.”

Percy moved them to a sitting position before kissing her. “It’s gonna be okay, we’ll have Iris Messages and FaceTime and Hermes Express.”

“Are you going to write me a letter for every day we are apart?” Annabeth laughed.

“Gods no,” Percy said quickly, making her snort. “But I will send you cookies and um-”

Percy cleared his throat and looked nervous, his cheeks getting an adorable shade of red. Annabeth waited for him to continue but he only bit his lower lip and avoided her eyes.

“Yeah?” She prompted softly.

“I- um, I got you a birthday present,” Percy said rapidly.

Annabeth laughed quietly. “Okay.” 

“Before you think it is, I’m telling you, it’s not a ring,” Percy said before pulling a small box from under the pillows. 

Annabeth snorted. “Good to know.”

“Shut up,” Percy mumbled and gave her the box. “I hope you like it.”

His voice was filled with shyness and hesitation and it only made Annabeth more curious. She slowly opened the box, and inside was a necklace. The material looked like a mix of rose gold and bronze. The chain was small and delicate, hanging from it was a small circle pendant with some dots and stars engraved on it. “A constellation perhaps?” 

Annabeth hadn’t realized she had said the last part out loud until Percy shyly replied to her. “It’s the Perseus constellation.”

Her heart started beating faster and heat rushed to her cheeks. “ _Oh my gods_ , Percy.” Annabeth slowly took the necklace from the box and examined it under the moonlight. When the light hit it on the right spot Annabeth could see it sparkle. “It’s beautiful.”

“Tyson made it,” Percy said while Annabeth was still staring at the pendant. “A mix of celestial bronze and rose gold. Do you like it? Is this okay?”

“It’s more than okay, it’s perfect. I love it.” Annabeth smiled at him. “I love you.”

Percy leaned in and kissed her softly. “I love you too, happy birthday babe.” 

“Can you?” Annabeth pointed at her neck and Percy nodded. She turned around and held her hair up. She could feel his fingers brush her skin while he clasped the necklace, her body shivered against his touch winning a chuckle from him.

“I might not be able to be in Paris with you but some part of me can.” His lips touched her neck and Annabeth’s eyes blurred with tears. The love she felt for Percy was overwhelming her, she loved him so much. She couldn’t believe how lucky she was to love him and have him love her back. There would never be words to express how much he meant to her, but as she turned around to kiss him, she had no doubt he knew what her lips were trying to say.

In the ocean of pillows under the New York night sky, they exchanged kisses and whispered their love to each other. They could have been kissing for a second or an hour, time never mattered when his arms were around her. They only stopped kissing when Annabeth started yawning.

“Come on, sleepyhead.” Percy laughed. “Let’s take you home.” 

Annabeth snuggled a pillow. “I’m comfy.”

“You won’t be comfy in the morning with the sun shining on us.” Percy booped her nose, winning a lazy smile from her. “Besides Rachel demanded a slice of cake as part of her payback for helping.”

“Fine, but only if you give me a piggyback ride.” 

“So demanding,” Percy said and Annabeth stuck her tongue out at him. “But you got yourself a deal, birthday girl.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me in tumblr @perseannabeth


End file.
